Title & Author: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow.
Summary: Seventeen-year-old
Marcus is the wrong teen to cross. Armed
with mad hacking skills, a rebellious spirit, and enough teen angst to take on
the Department of Homeland Security, Marcus is on a mission after he and his
friends are unjustly targeted in the wake of a terrorist attack.
Reference: Doctorow, C. (2008). Little Brother. New York, NY: Tor Teen.
My Impressions: For me, this book was an informational read,
as I learned so much about the Internet, hacking, and other computer-related
topics I’d never even heard of before.
For techy/geeky teens who rebuild their own hard drives and/or are
rebels at heart, this book is a must-read.
Professional Review: Gr. 8-12 /*Starred Review*/
Seventeen-year-old techno-geek w1n5t0n (aka Marcus) bypasses the school's
gait-recognition system by placing pebbles in his shoes, chats secretly with
friends on his IMParanoid messaging program, and routinely evades school
security with his laptop, cell, WifFnder, and ingenuity. While skipping school,
Markus is caught near the site of a terrorist attack on San Francisco and held
by the Department of Homeland Security for six days of intensive interrogation.
After his release, he vows to use his skills to fight back against an
increasingly frightening system of surveillance. Set in the near future,
Doctorow's novel blurs the lines between current and potential technologies,
and readers will delight in the details of how Markus attempts to stage a
techno-revolution. Obvious parallels to Orwellian warnings and post-9/11
policies, such as the Patriot Act, will provide opportunity for classroom
discussion and raise questions about our enthusiasm for technology, who
monitors our school library collections, and how we contribute to our own lack
of privacy. An extensive Web and print bibliography will build knowledge and
make adults nervous. Buy multiple copies; this book will be h4wt (that's hot,
for the nonhackers).
Reference: Dobrez, C. (2008, April 1). [Review of the
book Little Brother by Cory Doctorow].
Booklist,104, (15), 48. Retrieved
from
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